In an aircraft such as a plane, the pilots, crew members or passengers are each provided with a breathing system capable of delivering oxygen to a face-fitting device. In case of depressurization or urgency, the user should be able to catch the face-fitting device from the storage position of this latter and place it correctly onto his face for breathing within this face-fitting device. Depending on the aircraft type and also special requirements or standards, the face-fitting device may cover only the nose and mouth of the user, or may be combined with a mask so as to cover the whole face. Major constraints to be met by the breathing systems implemented relate to the time necessary for the user to catch the face-fitting device and place it onto his face, and also with the weight and reliability of the breathing system.
Additional constraints relate to the comfort for the user who is equipped with the face-fitting device, the capability for the face-fitting device to suit any size for the user's head, and the fitting tightness for avoiding important oxygen leak.
Face-fitting devices which are commonly used in airplanes are provided with pneumatic tubes which are to be arranged behind the head when the face-fitting device is placed onto the face. The tubes are inflated for placing the device onto the head and then deflated again for retaining the face-fitting device in worn-position. But the inflating and deflating of the tubes are performed with the breathing gas itself because this gas is available and easy to implement. Thus the fitting-on operation results in consumption of oxygen-containing gas instead of saving this gas for breathing purpose only.
It is also known to provide the crew member's seat with an additional support which is dedicated for storing the face-fitting device when not used, but with an arrangement which allows rapid catch by the crew member. But such support may be cumbersome for some arrangements of the space around the crew member's seat.
CN 103144771, corresponding to FR 2 983 832, discloses storing a breathing mask which is dedicated to an aircraft pilot in the headrest of the pilot seat. This storing location is efficient in saving space around the pilot seat.
US 2007/0068520 describes implementing a flexible hood around the head of an occupant of a pressurized aircraft. FIGS. 15 to 19 of this document show that the hood is initially stowed in the occupant's seat, then deployed from the headrest of the seat over the occupant's head, and then released from the seat by the occupant leaning forwards.
Starting from this situation, the invention aims at improving the existing solutions with respect to at least some of the above constraints.